Spirited Away: A Dragon's Promise
by Sapphire-Raindrop
Summary: It's just a story Ruki, you can change the ending to be whatever you want it to be." Ayama knew that this was true. The spirit world was just something that her mom made up, it couldn't be real. Ruki shook her head. "No...you can't. Not with this one."
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! I watched Spirited Away yesterday, and BOOM! i had the best idea for a story! I feel like such a meanie...posting all of these stories and then not updating regularly. But I'm trying! if you guys like it, REVIEW! it'll inspire me to keep writing new chapters!

Hope you like it!

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**Chapter 1**

Ayama wished that she could lay back on the car seat and stare up at the ceiling of the small mini-van, holding tightly the soft pink flowers her best friend had given her, but unfortunately her two younger sisters were already doing just that, both of them small enough to lay side by side on the wide seat without any trouble. Ayama knew that, being almost sixteen, it wouldn't be that easy.

The girl sighed, leaning her head against the window, her hazel eyes sad as she watched the new town come into view. It had been so hard to say goodbye to her friends; and it would be hard to get to know a whole new group of people. The wind blew gently outside the closed car windows, tousling the leaves of the bright summer trees that grew strongly along the streets.

Chihiro Scott looked back at her three daughters with a small smile, though her brown eyes were slightly nervous as she glanced out the window. Her short brown hair was beginning to gray slightly at the roots, and the corners of her mouth were beginning to develop lines from her almost constant smile. But those small differences didn't bother Chihiro. She had learned long ago, when she was quite young, that appearances weren't anything to base a person upon. She had learned that lesson very well…though the circumstances of learning that lesson were still quite vivid in her mind. She knew that that day when she was ten and following her parents into the tunnel could've been a dream…but something in her heart told her that it wasn't so.

Everett Scott looked over at his wife and grinned, his bright hazel eyes speckled with gold in the sunlight. His hair was black, and his skin was a much darker tan compared to Chihiro's porcelain complexion.

The two had met in a local Tokyo college, where Chihiro was studying psychology and Everett – an American student traveling to Japan as part of an abroad program – studying to become a brain surgeon. They fell in love, and when they graduated three years later immediately got married and moved into one of the cottages a mile or so away from the city. There they had their first child, Ayama, and it was obvious from the start that she inherited most of her appearance from her father, the almond shaped hazel eyes, the wavy black hair…everything except for the pale skin and the button nose…both of which she got from Chihiro.

When Ayama was almost four, Sakura had been born. Sakura had the eyes of her mother and the hair of her father, and the rest of her was a blend of both Japanese and American features, quite unlike Ayama who had a distinct American cast to her features with a small hint of her Japanese heritage. Then, two years after that, Ruki was born.

Ruki was, to say the least, the mirror image of Chihiro. If they were the same age, even Chihiro's own mother wouldn't be able to tell them apart. They had the same rosy cheeks, the same smallish nose that gave them a rather shy appearance, the thin frame and small hands that gripped so tightly. Straight brown hair was tied up in a thick ponytail. Their eyes were the same soft brown, their smiles the exact same shape and with the same innocence.

Ayama felt a small hand on her arm, and she turned to see Ruki smiling at her. Ayama sighed, leaning down to lean her chin against the girl's head. All three sisters had uniquely close relationships, but Ayama had always held a special spot in her heart for Ruki.

Ruki hummed a little song as she leaned on her older sister's shoulder, and after a moment asked.

"Ayama?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't _want_ to move."

Ayama laughed. "Neither do I, but its not like we can do anything about it now."

Ruki harrumphed to herself, and Sakura gave a little snore from her position on the seat, and the two sisters looked over to see that Sakura was sound asleep, her hands curled under her cheek and her legs bent up to her chest. Ruki poked her in the arm, and the girl didn't stir, her snores only growing louder. Ayama and Ruki looked at each other, and both started giggling at the same time. Their father looked at them through the mirror that hung above the dashboard, and raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

Ayama cleared her throat as Ruki snickered. "Nothing, Dad."

"Oh, _really_?"

"Really."

Everett's eyes crinkled good-naturedly as he noticed Sakura's unconscious form, and turned his gaze to the road once more. "Your mom's out for the count as well…how are they so tired? All we've done today is sitting around in this car! I'll be glad when we finally get to Grandpa and Grandma's house…" Everett grumbled, making a right onto another long stretching street that passed the stores and houses of the town.

Ruki and Ayama shrugged, and both of them stared out the window, lost in their own thoughts.

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"Admit it Dad…you're lost." Ayama said loudly, and Everett laughed confidently as he drove through away from the road and onto the dirt path, the rocks causing the car to jerk violently. The town had disappeared a long time ago, leaving a faint trail in the brush. Sakura and the girls' mother were – miraculously – still asleep, and Ruki and Ayama were left trying to understand _how_ their father had forgotten the way to their grandparents' house, when they had been there numerous times before.

They were driving along the path, and they passed a large area that was covered in scattered shrines that were cracked with age, a dark gray color.

"What are those, Dad?"

Everett shrugged. "I don't know. Your mom probably knows, but let's not wake her up."

Ruki shivered as they passed them, shrinking into Ayama's side, and the hill was soon lost from sight as they drove away.

A few minutes later, they were driving through the trees and it was now obvious that this path hadn't been used in centuries.

They were hopelessly, completely, and utterly lost.

Ruki whispered. "I think he and Grandpa hang out too much…"

Everett scowled at her as he barreled through the undergrowth, and Ayama held on for dear life as she and Ruki bounced all over the seats, trying hard not to scream. Ruki's eyes were wide, and she grabbed Ayama around the waist and buried her head into her sister's neck.

Ayama shouted. "Dad, _stop_!"

Everett put his foot on the brakes, but suddenly something sharp and piercing filled the air, and the car skidded to a halt. Everett swore vehemently – Amaya covered Ruki's ears hurriedly – before getting out of the car and leaning over the front tire. Ayama and Ruki clambered out of the car.

The car was slanted slightly, as the front tire was slowly deflating and soon became a limp puddle of black rubber. Everett growled some indistinguishable curses under his breath, and ran a hand through his hair. Ruki and Ayama bit their lips, trying not to laugh.

Ayama moved off a little, and something red caught her eye in the distance, and she frowned as she squinted. It was a building, and the girl brightened as she called to her father.

"Dad, there's a building over there. I'll go get some help."

"Sure, just be careful, okay? Ruki, come help me–"

"I want to go with Ayama!" Ruki said excitedly, her eyes stubborn as she grabbed Ayama's hand. Everett chuckled, and kissed her on the forehead before sending them on their way. Everett would soon come to regret this mistake, come to regret it with every bone in his body.

Ayama led the way through the trees, and looked around in curiosity at the large trees that clustered together in the dense forest, bright green and full of life. The grass beneath their feet was lush and brightly colored flowers were scattered across its velvet surface. The wind blew gently, blowing through Ayama's black hair that went in waves to just above her shoulders. The girls held hands and though they both had so much to say, couldn't find the words to speak to one another. It was like their lips were sealed shut, unable to open for fear of disturbing the ancient beauty that dwelled here.

The building was far in the distance, and after a minute or so of walking Ruki spoke, so softly that Ayama had to lean in to hear her.

"Ayama…tell me Mommy's story, the one about the spirits."

Ayama sighed – it was a long story, and she always felt so uncomfortable after telling it…almost like it was a spell waiting to be cast – but complied with a smile.

The story was about a young girl who had somehow gotten lost in the land of the spirits. Her mother and father were turned into pigs, and to get them back the girl had to get a job with a greedy witch who ran a prestigious bathhouse. She met a boy who was secretly a dragon, a dragon that was searching for his name. His name was what tied him to the witch, and if he remembered his name he could be free at last.

Ruki's lips turned up in a grin as she watched her sister make the story come to life. The long staircase that was so old and creaky that one had to run down it in fear of stepping down and breaking the frail wood, it sent Ruki's heart racing. The many shaped spirits who came to renew themselves in the warm waters of the baths, the six armed man who prepared herbs and was kind despite his grotesque appearance. The servant woman who was rude and unsympathetic at first to the girl, but was really a kind soul. The beautiful sparkle of the moonlight on the water, the train puffing along its glassy surface. How breathtaking it was in the innocent eyes of the ten year old, who was in awe of the images that whirled before her young mind.

"…and then, the girl went back to her world, and her parents were back to normal, unaware of their experience in the spirit world. Even though she tried, the girl could never forget."

Ruki was silent for a moment after the story ended, and looked up at Ayama. "But, what about the boy's promise?

_Will we meet again sometime?_

_I'm sure we will._

_ Promise?_

_ Promise. _

Ayama sighed. "It's just a story, Ruki. You can make the ending whatever you want it to be."

Ruki shook her head solemnly. "No…you can't. Not with this one."

Ayama frowned, but before she could speak they reached the edge of the trees and were face to face with a large red-plaster wall. It was immeasurably old, with chunks of the wall missing and the red plaster faded from the elements.

The only entrance was a single dark tunnel that was so long that the end was nowhere in sight…just a path that loomed before them like a dark and shadowy sentinel.

The wind blew harshly against their backs, and the leaves whipped around them and disappeared into its inky blackness.

Ruki looked up at Ayama, and the two of them, side by side, made their way into the tunnel.

The wind whispered in their ears, but their senses weren't accustomed to the speaking of the old ancient language that lived in all of the natural world.

_I promise…I promise…I promise…_

The girls were swallowed up by the tunnel, and a deep humming filled the air as the wind blew even more fiercely.

_A dragon's promise can never be broken. _


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2! thanks to those who have reviewed, you guys made my day!

Hope you guys like it, and PLEASE REVIEW!

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**Chapter 2**

Amaya felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as they made their way through the darkness, and Ruki was gripping her hand so tightly that it was starting to hurt. Her nervousness faded and was replaced with annoyance.

"Ruki, calm down…you're killing my hand!"

"But it's _scary_…"

Amaya sighed in exasperation. "Stop being such a scaredy-cat!"

Ruki frowned angrily. "I'm not a scaredy-cat!"

"Well you're sure acting like one…"

"I am not!"

Amaya looked away from her sister and towards the end of the tunnel. It was a faint pale light that seemed miles away, and she quickened her pace.

"C'mon, we need to hurry up before Dad comes and looks for us."

Ruki, still angry, turned her face away and didn't answer. Amaya huffed a breath and resisted the urge to grab Ruki's arm and forcibly drag her along. Instead she continued to quicken her pace until she was running down the tunnel, the other side coming closer and closer as a chill ran through the air unlike anything Amaya had ever felt before. She heard Ruki whimper in fear, and her running footsteps quickly filled the tunnel along with Amaya's.

Amaya reached the end with a smile, looking back to see Ruki struggling to catch up.

"C'mon, this place is really cool!"

They were in what looked like an abandoned train station, with light shining through delicate glass windows, making the dust that floated around transform into glittering dancers that twirled when the wind blew through the air. What was more, however, was the feeling of tranquility and ageless peace that seemed to permeate everything. Amaya almost felt like they were intruders…but something deeper made her want to explore.

Ruki bit her lip nervously. "Amaya…let's go back! There's no one here…Dad will be worried!"

Amaya snorted, nudging her playfully on the leg. "Where's your sense of adventure? He'll take forever trying to replace the tire…and who knows! Maybe people are around here somewhere."

Ruki didn't answer, and she stayed close to Amaya as they walked through the room and toward the large exit that lay opposite the southern wall. Through it, the two girls could see vivid green grass growing over a large slope and scattered with ancient stones. Amaya looked around curiously, running her hand along the wall.

"It looks like one of those old theme parks."

"What do you mean?"

"They were really popular a long time ago, I don't really remember when. I didn't know that there was one here in the forest…it seems a bit odd for it to be so far away from the town…"

Ruki frowned. "Why?"

"To gain customers, a business has to be close to the people they're trying to get money from. If a business – say a good restaurant for instance – wants to appeal to customers, they make their location in a place that people will see when they drive into town. I assume that this place went out of business and the people forgot about it when forming the town."

"Wow…" Ruki looked around; her nervousness gone for the moment as she curiously looked around. Her brown eyes were wide as she skipped across the room to poke her head out the door that led to the grass on the other side. She gasped, and waved to Amaya hurriedly.

"Look at this! It looks just like it does in Mom's story!"

Amaya frowned in confusion, and walked over to peek outside as well.

It _did_ look like the huge meadow in their mother's story…a little too much like it in fact. It unnerved Amaya as she stared out at the large grassy meadow that gently sloped down into a hill, and at the bottom there were stones that Amaya assumed were the floor of some ancient dried out river.

The sky was almost too blue, and it gave the Amaya the strangest sense of disquiet, like the serene calm before the storm.

But she wasn't about to get all scared and wimp out…that was Ruki's thing, not Amaya's.

Ruki looked up at her sister, and smiled widely when Amaya took her hand, leading her out into to meadow. Although she never fully understood her thoughts concerning her older sister, she knew that Ayama was the big sister who wasn't afraid of _anything_. Amaya was the one who would protect her no matter what, the one that would hold her until she fell asleep after she had a nightmare. Though Ruki loved her entire family dearly, Amaya was different. She wasn't just Ruki's sister, she was her best friend.

. The air was cool as the two sisters chased each other across the grass, looking around them in wonder. Ruki leapt over the river with no hesitation, her ponytail whipping around her head as she looked back to see if Amaya was doing the same. The older girl looked at the river for a moment, something twisting in her gut as she stared at the sturdy rocks that formed the river bottom.

Ruki called to her, and Amaya jumped over to quickly join her, both of the girls looking in curiosity at the sight that met their eyes.

There were rows of shops whose roofs were draped over with bright red cloth, cut into strips so that when the breeze blew, flashes of the interior shop was seen before being shielded once more. They were old and dusty, and the road was paved with uneven stones that were cracked with age. Ruki looked around with a smile, sniffing the air.

"…_and the girl and her family smelled the most delicious smell in the air, and her parents decided to try and find the source_." Ruki quoted readily, and Amaya laughed.

"Ruki, there's no way that–"

But her sister was already running through the streets, sniffing frantically. She stopped, and pointed down the left street. "Over there!"

"Ruki!" Amaya ran after her sister, quickly catching up with her and pulling her arm to stop her. "This is silly, c'mon. No one's here…and Dad's probably getting worried."

Ruki grinned impishly at her. "C'mon Amaya…where's your sense of adventure?"

Before Amaya could answer, Ruki was running again, and the older girl rubbed her forehead with her palm.

"Dammit…"

Ruki's voice came from a farther street, high with excitement. Amaya groaned, quickly running towards her voice.

Ruki was peering into one of the shops, her mouth wide with surprise.

"Amaya, look!"

Amaya was prepared to laugh, but found that all she could manage was a choked gurgle that was forced out as she stared at the feast that was laid out on the tables. It was just like in their mother's story, and Amaya felt true fear trickling into her system as she stared at the sky, which had unexpectedly gone to the golden rays of sunset.

"This can't be _possible_." Amaya whispered, and Ruki gasped as something caught her eye. It was the bathhouse. Hot water trickled in the outdoor waterfall, and the rumbling of a train could be heard as they slowly walked towards the bridge.

Ruki stared up at the looming bathhouse that stood above all the rest, and both of them looked at each other in shock.

It was the exact same.

Ruki ran to the bridge, and stood on the railing, looking down at the train that glided seamlessly on the surface of the water, only faintly leaving track marks behind it as it passed. Steam billowed from the top of it, and Ruki looked at Amaya.

"Amaya…are we in the spirit world?"

Amaya shook her head. "No, but we need to get out of here."

"Remember what the boy said?"

Amaya shivered. _Go! Before they light the lanterns_.

The sun set with a sudden loss of light, and Ruki yelled as the lights began coming to life, and Amaya grabbed Ruki's hand and dragged her away, running down the street as fast as she could.

This couldn't be happening, it–

A dark shape suddenly appeared in front of them, with black holes for eyes and numerous ones appeared beside it, heading towards the food laid out on the tables. The lights were glowing warmly in the interiors, and yet those lights made Amaya want to run and hide, for they weren't meant to be looked upon by human eyes.

Ruki shrieked in fear as more shapes appeared, staring at them with seemingly empty expressions, their hands reaching out to intercept them. But Amaya was moving too fast, and she yanked Ruki out of their reach before they could touch her, and jumped over the stairs, pulling Ruki over them as well despite the large difference between their leg lengths. Ruki stumbled over the stairs while Amaya leapt over them with no trouble, her long legs carrying her farther and farther away from the shops with each stride.

Ruki, gasping for breath, ran as fast she could. "Amaya, we have to get to–"

"I know, I know!" Amaya yelled angrily, her hazel eyes flashing in apprehension as she ran.

_You have to get across the river!_

Amaya ran towards the darkened meadow, only to hear the splash of water as Ruki ran down the stairs that had once been dry. The girl quickly ran back out, shivering as Amaya stared out at the ocean like body of water that now stretched across the meadow, cutting off their chance for escape. The amusement park entrance was now miles away, glittering with bright lights that hadn't been there before.

Ruki fell to her knees, tears running down her cheeks.

"Amaya…we'll never get back now! We'll–"

Amaya pulled her to her feet, and quickly hugged her. "It'll be okay, Ruki. We'll find a way to get back. Just like the girl in the story, remember?"

"You said that it was just a story…" Ruki sobbed, and Amaya laughed.

"I know…I know I did. But look where we are, Ruki."

Amaya suddenly fell to her knees, and Ruki blinked away the tears for a moment as she knelt beside her sister.

"Amaya?"

Amaya's form was becoming translucent, her fingertips slowly disappearing. Amaya felt a limp weakness in her entire form, something so mobilizing that she couldn't even raise her head. It was like…she was slowly fading.

Ruki looked at her own arm, and for some strange reason found that she was still intact, not disappearing in the slightest. A bright purple bracelet around her wrist seemed to glint, even though there wasn't much light around the two sisters. Ruki touched it gently.

_This is for you, Ruki. _

_It's so pretty…where'd you get it? _

Ruki's mother had stared at her for a moment before answering, her eyes miles away, years away.

_It was a gift given to me when I was your age. It was said to be a protection charm. _

Ruki slowly took off the bracelet, and watched in shock as her skin shimmered and slowly began to fade, as it was doing with her sister. When she placed it back on, the feeling went away, and she was solid again.

An idea suddenly sprung into her mind, and she quickly took off the bracelet, which was elastic, and grabbed Amaya's hand tightly, intertwining their fingers. Then, she placed the bracelet over their joined hands, so both of their wrists were surrounded by the shimmering purple threads. Was it Ruki's imagination, or did the bracelet tighten around their wrists so it wouldn't slip off?

Amaya suddenly jolted back to being solid, and was left gasping for breath. She looked at their joined hands, and frowned.

"Ruki, what's going on?"

Amaya struggled to keep her voice calm, and Ruki shook her head, looking around in fear. They both awkwardly got to their feet, and stared at the distant entrance that was now far from their reach.

Ruki cried silently, and Amaya smiled grimly, almost painfully.

"What are we going to do, Amaya?"

Amaya turned so they were facing the bathhouse.

This was crazy. This was completely _insane_. But it was the only thing that Amaya had to guide her…the only thing that made some kind of sense.

"Do you remember what the boy told the little girl to do after they crossed the bridge?"

"Go to the boiler man…down the flight of stairs…" Ruki's eyes widened and Amaya smiled again, her hand tightening around Ruki's.

"Yep. And that's exactly what we're going to do."


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers...your wonderful feedback helps more than you'll ever know!

I love writing this story, but I have to ask: is it original enough? Have I started it out well enough to set the foundation for a good, likable story? Please, let me know! Even if you dont like it, criticism (the good, constructive kind) is appreciated!

Thanks, and enjoy!

**NOTE: **I'm sorry for not doing this to begin with (some of you must be pretty confused about what the heck i'm doing), but I decided to change our heroine's name just a tad. It's now _**Amaya**_**, **instead of _**Ayama**_. I don't really have a real concrete reason for changing the name...i just personally liked _**Amaya**_ better (it means _night rain_, what's not to like about it??) than **_Ayama_**, and it was easier to type and was the name i had when i first thought up this story.

Again, sorry for not posting this when i first updated, hope this clears things up!

:D

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Chapter 3**

Amaya and Ruki quickly ran down the streets, ducking behind buildings as large, bizarre looking creatures marched past, their loud voices filling the air that was filled with the tempting scent of spiced meats and vegetables.

Ruki looked around, and then pointed to a bowl of white rice that was left unattended, somewhat separate from the other plates of food. She looked up at her sister, who looked around once more before nodding.

The two of them quickly dashed out from behind the wall, and leapt forward to grab a handful of the hot cooked rice before running away, ignoring the yells that were issued from the shopkeeper behind them.

Amaya didn't stop running until they were a few blocks away, and the two of them leaned against a wall, gasping for breath.

"Alright, eating this should prevent us from disappearing, right? I still can't believe I'm relying on a _bedtime story_ to keep us alive…I must be going crazy."

Ruki didn't answer, and quickly shoved the steaming rice into her mouth, chewing hurriedly and swallowing with noisy gulps. Amaya watched with wary eyes as her younger sister pulled out of the wristband, and the teen sighed with relief when Ruki remained solid. Amaya hastened to consume the rice in her hand, and after swallowing she slipped off the bracelet and handed it back to Ruki.

"Where did you get that thing again?"

"Mom gave it to me…she said it was a protection charm or something…" Ruki said, plucking at the bright purple bracelet that glinted in the firelight. Amaya sighed, and decided not to stress herself out even more by wondering where her mother had gotten a magical bracelet. She had more important matters to attend to, like, staying _alive_. And finding out how to get back home. That was pretty important too.

"Okay, now we'll make our way to the bridge, so stay close to me."

"Amaya, calm down! Nothing's going to hurt us…"

Amaya rolled her eyes at her sister, ignoring her as she quickly walked down the road and towards the bright glow of the bathhouse torches that lined the ancient bridge. The air was cool against her skin, and she wiped her sweaty palms against the dark blue fabric of her jean-shorts before reaching back to grab for Ruki's hand. Ruki's hand was cool and dry, and Amaya wanted to strangle her when she felt her younger sister's hand squeeze gently, trying to comfort her.

Ruki didn't seem afraid at all, which was a bit unnerving, seeing as she was the one who had been so nervous about traveling here in the first place. Now though, she was calm, silently smirking at Amaya's panicked tone. Ruki had always been unusually mature for her age, but with that maturity came an arrogance that sometimes –scratch that, _always_ – got on Amaya's nerves.

The two girls reached the bridge, and hid behind a small bush, leaning forward to peek at the crowd that sluggishly passed them as they made their way to the bathhouse. Amaya gasped at the creatures that were so inhuman that she had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Small creatures that were egg shaped and covered in fluffy yellow down waddled gaudily past, chattering in voices that sounded just like the clucks of a chicken. A few women glided past the frogs that were greeting the guests, their eyes as large as Amaya's fist, with no pupils, leaving instead blank black voids that were almost as eerie and unsettling as their hands, which were webbed and translucent, like something left in water for too long. There were many cloaked guests who had masks for faces, dark cloth covering the rest of their bodies, and other beast-like creatures that had long hair that was twined into tight coils, their bulgy eyes a dark green-yellow color, with sharp teeth that protruded from their lips.

Amaya leaned back so she was hidden, and took several large breaths.

"Alright, take a big breath, and whatever happens, do _not_ take a breath until we reach the little door, okay? If it doesn't work, or something goes wrong, make a break for it."

"Okay." Ruki whispered, and the two of them took a deep breath, and stepped out onto the bridge. The voices of the incoming guests made the air around them seem too warm, almost suffocating.

Amaya kept her breath in as she slowly made her way through the creatures, being careful not to touch any of them. It seemed to be working, no one glanced their way or seemed to be aware of them at all, not even the menacing looking beasts whose eyes stared directly at Amaya for a moment before turning away, unaware that they had just stared at a human girl.

Gravely voices spoke close to Amaya's ear, from one of the beasts.

"I hope that that dragon and the witch have this place under control, you remember what happened last time?"

"Yes…that was quite a display…"

Time seemed to slow down to a painful crawl as Amaya walked, and she felt the strangest prickling in her scalp, as if eyes were constantly watching her, yet when she turned to look, there was no one.

"Welcome, sirs, and we hope that you enjoy your stay here." A plump group of geishas said respectfully, simultaneously bowing to a group of lizard-men dressed in elaborate robes, whose long scarlet tongues periodically flicked out to taste the air.

Ruki was close behind her, and Amaya felt her air supply fading fast, and searched frantically for the little door.

She found it after a moment, and grabbed Ruki's hand, pulling her towards the door that was a few feet high and barely two feet wide. Ruki was turning purple, and Amaya pushed her through hurriedly, managing to squeeze in right after her and slamming it shut before anyone noticed. The two sisters gasped for breath, listening for any yells of alarm, any sign that the bathhouse guests or staff gave their presence any notice.

There was nothing except for the constant sound of frogs greeting guests and customers murmuring and laughing with each other. Ruki and Amaya breathed a sigh of relief, slapping relieved high fives.

"Now we make our way to the boiler room…"

Ruki whimpered. "Not the scary flight of stairs!"

Amaya snorted. "You're not frightened of those spirits back there, but you're afraid of some old _stairs_?"

"Yes!"

"Jeez…"

Amaya looked around the small garden, seeing the muted glow of the bathhouse interior through the sliding screen doors, and motioned for Ruki to crawl after her silently. Both of them made their way anxiously across the small lawn and towards the small metal door on the opposite side, which would hopefully lead them to the stairway.

Amaya's ears caught the faint yells that were audible though the thin screen, and saw dark shadows racing back and forth behind the doors.

"Where are the seaweed-oil tokens? We've got a few river nymphs that need a intense revitalization soak!"

"Ask Lin, I saw her talking to the foreman a few minutes ago."

"Ever since Lin became the head of the bath staff, she's constantly disappearing! What's the trouble in staying in sight for more than a minute or two?"

Amaya frowned, and looked back at Ruki quizzically. They both mouthed in bewilderment.

_Seaweed oil? _

Could this place get any more confusing?

Ruki nudged her sister and pointed to the small metal door that was attached to a small brick wall, with the handle worn from use. Amaya shook her head, and whispered.

"I think that the door is a little farther into the garden, remember? It wasn't metal either, it was wood."

"I'm almost positive that this is the one!"

"No, Ruki–"

But Ruki was already pulling it open, and Amaya leapt towards her to grab her ankle, but instead accidentally bumped her in the back, sending Ruki tumbling down into the dark hole that gaped behind the door. The girl's screams were soon lost in the darkness, and Amaya quickly ran to the entrance, cupping her hands around her mouth to call her name.

"Ruki!" Amaya yelled, peering into the tunnel, and cursing loudly when there was no answer. She sent a fleeting prayer to the heavens, and lightly jumped down into the tunnel, holding her breath at the disgusting stench of garbage that seemed to permeate the air around her.

She was sliding in a large and gross feeling tunnel, so quickly that her eyes watered. There was small cracks in the sides of the tunnel, and through them bright light filtered, showing Amaya glimpses of rooms. Bright steamy baths situated all around the massive first floor, with customers chatting and soaking in comfort. Servants ran everywhere, yelling out orders and requests that were issued by customers.

Then it was darkness again, and Amaya suddenly felt herself colliding with something warm and solid. She was too heavy to remain motionless as the small figure was doing, and so they were sent flying down the tunnel once more.

"Amaya?!"

Amaya clutched at the small girl who she couldn't see in the darkness. "Ruki!"

"Where are we going?"

"I think that this is the garbage chute…"

Ruki gasped, and Amaya would've glared at her if it weren't pointless, seeing as it was pitch-black in the chute. They toppled on top of each other as they entered a sharp curve in the pipe, and Ruki's elbow slammed into Amaya's cheek, making her yelp in pain and annoyance.

"That's why you _listen_ to me when I say not to open something!"

"I'm sorry! I thought that–"

"Well your thinking _sucks_!"

"Hey, at least I'm not scared of my own shadow when things get weird like this!"

Amaya recoiled, and growled harshly. "_Scared_? Who's the one who went crying to Mom because she saw a spider in the grass? Oh, wait, I remember! It was you!"

"It was a big spider!"

"It was tiny!"

If Ruki had been about to reply – Amaya could tell in the darkness – a creaking and snapping sound abruptly cut her off. Then, suddenly, the metal beneath Ruki curved and twisted away from Amaya, and she was torn from her sister's grasp.

"Ruki!"

Ruki screamed, her voice loud and piercing in Amaya, and Amaya felt her fingertips brush against Ruki's shirt before her own pipe twisted away, and her little sister was sliding away, her voice echoing in the tight space of the pipe.

"Amaaaaaayyyyaaaaaa!"

"No, _Ruki_!" Amaya yelled as her sister's voice faded away, and scrambled to stop herself, but the pipe was too slippery, and all she managed to do was spin herself around in a frantic circle. She heard loud voices beneath her, and she was about to yell for help when her flailing foot hit a loose plate of metal that made up the pipe, and she was sent crashing backward as her foot kicked the large piece away.

Amaya was falling, her arms and legs trying to maintain a hold on the pipe as she found that there was nothing solid beneath the pipe. But she lost her grip, and fell with an ear-splitting crash on a large mahogany desk, scattering all of the papers and sending jewels flying everywhere. The wood groaned, and split in two, falling to its side on either side of a thoroughly dazed Amaya.

Amaya felt bruised beyond repair, and she groaned as she sat up, rubbing her poor back with shaking fingers. Small and glittering gemstones of amber clung to her hair, along with pieces of torn and shredded paper. Something sharp was jabbing her in the side, and when she turned to investigate found that it was a large and expensive quill. She was sitting partially on the destroyed desk, partially on a thick carpet. She looked around, blinking rapidly to clear her head, and found two pairs of eyes watching her.

Two pairs of eyes.

One pair was large and greedy, wide with surprise at the unexpected interruption, bulging from the powdered and wrinkled face it resided in.

The other pair was almond shaped, perfectly composed, a color that could not be classified as just _green_…that was too specific. They were every shade of green imaginable. Shades of impossibly vibrant emerald, jade, and olive glittered within those eyes as they stared at the human girl.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey! This story is seriously, like, SO MUCH FUN to write! I'm really bummed that more of you arent reviewing, but hey, I'm not writing this to please anyone but myself!

but even so, if you like it, please review! It'd be very nice, and it motivates me to update sooner than later!

:D

enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Amaya stared up at the two for what felt like an eternity before the older woman recovered enough to sputter.

"A human!"

The young man – who looked to be around Amaya's age, maybe a year or two older – snorted, eyes carefully calculating as he looked at the girl. "Thank you for stating the obvious. Are you alright?" He smiled slightly at the befuddled girl, who slowly nodded.

"You insolent brat! You act as if this is something of no importance!" The short women with bulging eyes spat, and the young man sighed in exasperation, and the fire flared in the upright torches, making his chin-length, forest green hair gleam in the light.

Amaya gasped, and quickly pinched herself. This had to be a dream…all of this was exactly like her mom's story; the boy, the witch with eyes the size of dinner plates, the spacious office with the balcony outside…it was all the same.

Nothing disappeared, and all that changed was that now Amaya's arm hurt terribly where she had pinched it. The tall boy pursed his lips, and replied in a curt tone.

"On the contrary, Yubaba, what I was trying to say is that we shouldn't frighten her."

"Bah! You're too soft, Haku!"

"That name has no power over me anymore, so you can stop trying to use your witchcraft in an attempt to put me back under your control."

Amaya sat up straighter, and cleared her throat. "Um, excuse me?"

They both stopped talking, and Amaya cleared her throat nervously once more. "Uh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to find my sister, Ruki. She also fell down the garbage chute, but we were separated."

Yubaba grumbled under her breath. "That explains the stench. The human smell is bad enough, but the trash makes it near impossible to handle!"

The boy glared at her, and gracefully knelt beside Amaya, who was trying not to stare at the enormous head of the stout woman.

"Your sister?"

"Yes! Do you know where that pipe leads?" She pointed up towards the gaping hole that had once been the bottom of the chute.

"It leads to the compartment just beside the boiler room, but–"

Amaya quickly got to her feet, shaking her head furiously to rid her hair of the small jewels and pieces of paper. She was about to run off when the other woman spoke in a low, gravelly voice as she lit her cigarette.

"She is lying, obviously."

Amaya gaped at her incredulously. "No I'm not! Her name is Ruki Scott, and I'm Amaya Scott, and our parents' names are Chihiro and Everett! We were driving to our new house when–"

"Chihiro?" Yubaba and Haku both exclaimed, and Amaya frowned, nodding.

"Yeah, we got lost in the woods, and then something happened to the tire, probably a rock or something, and we couldn't go any farther."

Haku's eyes were calm, but Amaya could see the tense set to his jaw. "Wait, you're saying that Chihiro Ogino was in the car when this happened? How close were you to the entrance?"

"Entrance? Wait, you mean the tunnel?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, but she and my other sister were asleep, so Ruki and I went to find help in the building. We didn't know that it was abandoned!"

"Does your sister have a purple bracelet on, by any chance?"

"Yeah! But," Amaya's eyes narrowed. "how would _you_ know that?"

Haku sighed, and turned to Yubaba, who was watching the interaction with emotionless eyes. "That explains why we could only sense one human; your sister's bracelet blocks the other one from our magic. Chihiro must've given the charm to her daughter...."

Yubaba blew out a thin stream of smoke from her nostrils, and looked away, her eyes calm and yet…furious at the same time.

"I see."

Amaya put her hands on her hips angrily. "Alright, I probably sound like an impatient brat, but can we _please_ stop talking about magic and all that crap and find my sister?"

Yubaba chuckled, and turned to the boy, who was staring at her with calculating green eyes.

"This is where I put my foot down, Haku. I will not allow this girl to run around my prestigious bathhouse without a contract. It will look bad enough having a human here, but an unemployed human will look much, much worse."

Haku growled under his breath, but his face remained calm as he nodded to the witch. "Those were the rules before I returned, Yubaba. Now that I own a good portion of the bathhouse, I think the rules deserve to be bended a bit."

Yubaba, instead of protesting like she had before, now smiled, a cruel smile that made Amaya's skin crawl. It was a smile of victory, a smile of smug glee.

"I agree. You employ the mouthy brat," She nodded to Amaya, whose eyes narrowed at the witch's tone. "and I get the younger girl as my worker. You get half, I get half. That is the only compromise I'll make, dragon, so I would choose your words carefully."

Amaya clutched at the older boy's arm, her eyes frantic. "Don't, she'll–"

"I have no choice. I agree, Yubaba. But on two conditions; the girl you employ shall retain her name, and no harm shall come unto her in your service."

Yubaba sighed, the smile still on her face as she waved her hand toward her shattered desk, which immediately began reassembling itself; shreds of paper joining to become one single sheet, jewels floating back to their respective caskets, the wood jumping up to join with its other half with a groan. A single sheet remained in front of her large fingers, and with a flick of her hand writing appeared on it, with two lines at the bottom.

"If you will, Haku?"

"A magically-sealing contract? Why so meticulous, when it is just one single human worker?"

"A magically-sealing contract?" Amaya nearly squeaked – she remembered this from the story – but the boy ignored her as he listened to Yubaba's reply.

"I just want to make sure there are no misunderstandings. Don't worry, both of your conditions are stated very clearly in this. All you have to do is sign your full name. I will do the same, and it is done."

Amaya turned to Haku, but the boy was already moving forward. His almond shaped eyes scanned the contract carefully, lips pursed in suspicion. After a moment, he stared at the line, and thin, flowing cursive began to bleed into the page on the line to the left.

_Spirit of the Kohaku River_

Yubaba signed her name with a flourish, and the contract glowed bright blue for a moment before fading back to normal once more. Amaya stared at it with an awful feeling in her gut, the horrible sense of foreboding sorrow.

Haku nodded to the witch, who waved them out with a dismissive flick of her hand, and led the way out of the spacious office. Amaya struggled to keep up with the boy, as his legs were much longer than hers and took larger strides.

"Hey, uh, Haku?"

Haku's eyes flickered towards hers. "Yes?"

"How did you know that my mother gave Ruki that bracelet?"

Haku sighed, staring straight ahead once more, his jaw taut. "Your mother…I assume that she didn't tell you what happened here? Why would she…I doubt anyone would believe her…"

"She did tell us the story of this place, but…"

Haku smiled slightly, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "She failed to ever reveal the true identity of the girl who was transported here?"

"Yeah…I didn't really think about it," Amaya said quietly, as they traveled down long staircases, which were packed with servants and steaming customers. Haku nodded to a few of the staff, and stopped to murmur some instructions to a tall women with long brown hair and impatient brown eyes that sparked and flared at Haku's stern tone.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Haku! It's not my fault those stupid chickens had to eat all of the rice, but–"

"You'll handle it." Haku said, finishing her sentence and moving along before she had time to argue. Amaya and she caught eyes for a moment, and Lin scowled before turning on her heels and marching off.

"If I told you that your mother knows more about the spirit world than you think she does, that _she_ was the girl who wandered into our world thirty-nine years ago, would you believe me?"

"No, I…" Amaya yelled angrily, but then something made her stop.

* * *

_It had been a few years ago, in the summer. Chihiro was sitting on the porch, and Sakura and Ruki were playing in the garden while Amaya sat and made little daisy necklaces. _

_ "Mommy, where'd you get that bracelet?" _

_ Chihiro stared down at the purple bracelet, setting down her mending for a moment to slip it off and hand it to her oldest daughter. Amaya ooed and awed at the sparkling threads. _

_ "A woman gave it to me, a wonderful person that I wish you could have met someday." Chihiro slipped the bracelet back on her wrist, and Amaya continued working on her daisy chain. _

_ "Why don't we ever visit her then?" _

_ "She's…somewhere that we can't go." _

_ Amaya's eyes widened. "Oh. You mean, where my hamster Jerry is? The cloud place with lots of light?" _

_ Chihiro laughed, and knelt down to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "No…not exactly." _

_ Her brown eyes stared out towards the forest, and a sigh escaped her lips. A wistful, almost sorrowful sigh that made Amaya look out towards the forest as well. _

_ "What are you looking for, Mommy?" _

_ "Oh, it's nothing Amaya. It's just…something someone told me a long time ago. I doubt I'll ever see that person again, but I can't help but wish…" _

_ "Wish what, Mommy?" _

_ Chihiro didn't answer, instead brightening up and gushing over Amaya's finished necklace, and Amaya's young and ignorant mind was quickly distracted from the mysterious subject that made her mother so sad. _

_

* * *

  
_

Amaya felt her hands clenching into fists at the memory, and she bit her lip.

"Yes…I think I would believe that. But why didn't she tell us then?"

Haku helped Amaya across a gap between the stairs and the floor, and she blushed at the feeling of his hands on her waist, but he didn't notice, speaking quietly as they continued on their way.

"Would you believe it, before you saw this place with your own eyes?" Amaya looked around at the bizarre creatures that moved around them, the magic in the air that made her skin tingle, and the handsome boy with those green eyes, the boy she knew could turn into a mythical dragon on command. She shook her head, and Haku went on.

"She probably wanted to get past it, to not let her adventure here affect her entire life in the human world. She wouldn't want to scare her family, she wouldn't want them to think she was making up what she had seen."

"That's why she made it into a bedtime story…so she could talk about it without us thinking she was crazy…" Amaya whispered, and Haku nodded.

Amaya stared at the back of the boy's head as he led her through the bathhouse, and blinked rapidly as tears welled in her eyes. All those times her mother had told her the story…she was really talking about her adventure to the spirit world, to this bathhouse where she had to save her parents. Everything was real, and if that was true…then…

"Did you love my mother?"

Haku stopped, and it was so sudden that Amaya bumped into his back. He didn't turn around, but Amaya saw his fingers clenching into fists.

"No…I did not love her. I will always be grateful for the restoration of my name, which she made possible, but love? No…there was no true love. Friendship? Perhaps, but not love."

Haku began walking again, and Amaya quickly followed.

Why did she get the feeling that Haku wasn't being honest with her? Was it the tense set to his shoulders, the curt tone of his voice?

Amaya snorted to herself, and shook her head to clear it.

What a ridiculous thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter, and I hope you guys like it!

what do you guys think so far? Too rushed, too vague?

**

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Chapter 5**

Haku and Amaya reached the elevator, and Amaya shrunk into Haku's side as the spirits that were currently in the elevator stared at her with wide eyes. Haku nodded to them, and faced the doors as they shut, not once looking down at the sixteen year old girl who was staring at her feet. The spirits murmured to each other, and when Amaya dared to look around once more she found that one of them was still staring at her.

It was a young woman who looked not much older than Amaya, and she resembled the tall and willowy women from before, with webbed fingers and long shiny hair that hung to her knees – her hair was an unusual shade of teal instead of black this time – rippling slightly around her as if she was always submerged in water. Her eyes were the same, the irises filling up her entire eyes with no pupil. But instead of being black, this woman's eyes were a vibrant gold, and her skin was not a sickly translucent, instead glowing and healthy.

The woman smiled widely at Amaya, and moved so she was standing next to Haku, her golden eyes studying him unblinkingly.

"A human, Haku?"

"Yes."

The girl laughed lightly before gliding over to stand near Amaya – the sound of the girl's laughter was so reminiscent of the gentle sound of a river bubbling over the rocks that Amaya glanced around nervously, expecting a river to have suddenly appeared. The girl leaned in to whisper.

"Don't worry, he's always like this. Even when we stole all of his clothes and–"

"Enough, Kailani. Why are you here, anyway?" Haku asked curtly, his emerald eyes narrowing as the girl danced backward with another laugh.

"I'm sorry, Haku, but you've been gone from the river for a while now. My sisters wanted me to check up on you. I've been looking for you all day!"

"I am not a child, so I do not need to be supervised as such." Haku growled, and Kailani noticed the perplexed expression on Amaya's face.

"Oh, I never really introduced myself properly…my mother would turn over in her grave if she knew that her attempts at teaching me etiquette were kind of useless…"

"Yes she would…" Haku murmured, too softly for Kailani to hear. But Amaya noticed that Haku wasn't irritated or actively trying to shut Kailani up. There was a sense of harmony that hung between the two, but not in the sense of anything romantic. More like a brother and sister would interact, seemingly opposed to one another but in reality quite in-tune with each other.

Kailani smiled widely, and nodded her head in greeting. "My name is Kailani, and I am one of the river nymphs that were created by Haku's mother to watch over her son when he was born. We normally don't stray this far from the river, but this is a special case."

Amaya blinked as she stared at the young nymph, and she realized how impossibly old this spirit must be. The same age as Haku, who was thousands of years old – she knew this because her mother had taken her to Kohaku River once. They hadn't been able to swim in it, because of environmental reasons, and there was a plaque describing how old it was.

_The Kohaku River was first discovered in the early 1200s, but current sediment analysis shows us that the river was formed nearly seven thousand years earlier. _

If that was true, Haku was 7, 810 years old.

Amaya stared at the nymph, and slowly bowed her head in return.

"I'm, uh, Amaya. N-nice to meet you, Kailani." Amaya let out a breath when a brilliant smile appeared on Kailani's face.

"Oh! You're so _cute_!" Amaya felt herself being hugged tightly, and Haku sighed in exasperation.

"This is our stop, Kailani. If you would please–"

"Oh, but I'm coming too! I haven't been to the bathhouse in a while, and I want to get to know Amaya better!" Kailani clutched Amaya possessively, and Amaya smiled slightly, tugging away but quickly taking the nymph's hand.

"I'd like that." Amaya said, before Haku could say no. Haku huffed a little, but silently led the way down the dusty hallway that ended in a large door. The door was scattered with symmetrical bolts and screws to hold it together, as it was made of pieces of scrap metal. Pipes lined the walls, and there was a smell of burning coal in the air.

"Is Ruki still in the boiler room? What if she wandered off? She tends to do that…" Amaya asked nervously, biting her lip as she stared at the metal door. Haku nodded.

"Yes, I've already communicated with Kamaji, so he will be sure to keep her there."

"Kamaji…is that the boiler man who has six arms?"

Kailani grinned widely. "Yeah! He's kind of grouchy though. No wonder he and Haku get along so well…"

Haku sent a glare in her direction, but Kailani brushed it off with another dazzling smile, and Amaya couldn't help but smile with her. Kailani possessed a cloud of happiness and freedom that affected everyone she interacted with, and reminded Amaya of her friend Tora, who she was forced to leave behind in the move. Amaya was sure that if the two met, they would be wonderful friends.

Amaya suddenly noticed Kailani's webbed hands and pupil-less eyes once more, and she sighed.

Oh yeah, this was the spirit world. Tora and Kailani would never meet, because Tora was a human and Kailani was a nymph. It was funny how quickly Amaya had forgotten that.

Haku strode ahead of them, and opened the metal door with an ear-splitting creak that sent shivers down Amaya's spine. Kailani tugged Amaya along into the sweltering room that was filled with the scent of herbs and spices, and the first thing that Amaya saw was her little sister, who was lazily sitting against the wall with a serene smile on her face. Kamaji was ignoring her completely, his wrinkled face indecipherable as he moved his many arms to complete the tasks before him.

"Ruki!" Amaya wrenched out of Kailani's grasp, and rushed towards her sister, but was halted as she noticed the dust balls that were squeaking as they rushed towards her feet. They were bouncing up and down, and she could see their little faces alight with glee as the moved to make contact with her skin.

"Um, hello…" Amaya muttered, kneeling down to touch one of them on the head. Her finger sank into the dust, and she quickly pulled her hand away – her finger was now blackened – only to find that the dust ball seemed to enjoy the attention.

The girl looked up to see Kamaji staring at her intently, his head slightly tilted to the side as he studied her. After a moment, he shook his head and resumed his grinding, muttering as he went.

"Get back to work, and let the girl through." The dust balls hesitated, and then resumed their work. Amaya quickly crossed the area of dirt, and removed her shoes before stepping up to the wooden floor. Ruki ran towards her, and Amaya held her close.

"I thought you would forget about me, Amaya!"

Amaya laughed. "I couldn't do that, you're too annoying."

"What?!"

"I'm kidding, Ruki."

"Oh."

Haku, who was behind the two embracing sisters, looked up at Kamaji, who was watching the reunion with a frown.

Kamaji turned to Haku, and spoke so softly that the two humans had no chance of hearing. Kailani tactfully moved to examine the shelves, her golden eyes not flickering once to their conversation.

"She fell right through there," He pointed with one of his great hands to the ceiling right above the area of dirt, where there was a large hole. "and nearly scared the living daylights out of me."

"Was she injured?" Haku asked, watching the boiler man as he grinded the herbs.

"No. But…" Kamaji paused in his work, and turned to face Haku directly. "I do not like that girl."

"Who, the older one?"

"No, not her! I mean the other one. She's a bad one…I can feel it in my bones, and my bones never lie."

Haku stared at the younger girl, his emerald eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"I do not sense anything amiss."

"It's not really anything _wrong_ with her…just…" Kamaji threw up his hands in frustration, and attacked his grinding with a new fervor. "Bah! I'm too old to have to think this much, forget it!"

As if sensing the end of the discussion, Kailani bounced up and jumped up to hug Kamaji. The old spirit blinked rapidly, too shocked to react.

"Kamaji! You never change!" Kailani cooed, and Kamaji sighed as he recognized her. He continued to grind even around her embrace, and used one of his numerous hands to pat her awkwardly on the back.

"I was wondering when I would see you again, Kailani…it's been a long time."

"Aw, c'mon, it's only been a few hundred years…"

"I suppose you're right. But even so, the bathhouse is so much more…tolerable with you around, so stick around this time, alright?" Kamaji muttered gruffly, and Kailani laughed in delight.

Kailani reluctantly pulled away, but not before giving the old spirit a kiss on the cheek, which made Kamaji's face burn in embarrassment. Haku rolled his eyes, and quickly pulled Kailani towards the sisters who looked up at their approach.

Ruki stared at Kailani with wide eyes, her mouth dropping as the nymph approached, her golden eyes quickly scanning Ruki as she moved to stand beside Ruki, linking their arms.

"Hi Ruki. My name is Kailani!" Kailani grinned, and Ruki smiled widely at her, and turned to Amaya.

"What happens now?"

Haku stepped forward, and his emerald eyes remained on Ruki for a few moments before returning to Amaya. "Yubaba and I have made a deal. Unfortunately, this means that you two will be working separately–"

Amaya frowned, her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, we won't be together?"

"You two will sleep in the same quarters, but during the day Yubaba will have Ruki working, and though I will try to have you work with Ruki, Amaya…there are no guarantees."

Ruki began to cry, and Amaya glared angrily at Haku before rushing to comfort her. Kailani was glaring at Haku too, and if he had bothered to turn around, Haku would have found a glaring Kamaji.

"It's alright, Ruki. I'll make sure that we see each other a lot, okay?"

"You promise?"

"Of course!" Amaya grinned, and Ruki wiped her eyes slowly, her lips trembling. Haku moved forward, and smiled slightly at the two.

"Ruki, I'm going to transport you to one of the spare guest-rooms in the upper complex of the guesthouse, where I live. There will be bedding and food in the cabinet. Go to sleep. Your sister will be with you shortly. Tomorrow morning I will send Lin up to collect Ruki, and I will give Amaya her orders. Understood?" The small girl nodded, her brown eyes wide. Haku placed both of his hands on her shoulders, and closed his eyes.

A shimmering light slowly began to surround Ruki, who gasped as the light became thicker and thicker around her. Amaya smiled encouragingly, even though inwardly she was screaming her shock and confusion. She had to stay calm, for Ruki, so her little sister wouldn't see how truly frightened she was. Ruki could probably see through the façade, but it never hurt to try.

After a moment, Ruki was gone, and Haku slowly straightened, his eyes closing briefly before opening once more. Amaya bit her lip, and timidly spoke.

"How are we going to get home?"

Kamaji sighed from his place, and his gravely voice spoke in the short silence after Amaya's question. "After your mother left this world, the ancient gods of this world decided to close up the portal to the human world for good."

"The ancient gods?"

Kailani whispered. "They were the first beings to emerge, the very first spirits ever to exist. They have lived for…oh I don't even know how long! Before the world was created, before the concept of time and space…before _everything_. They are often called the Great Four, and it from them that life was made."

Haku went on in Kamaji's place. "They sealed the portal, but one of the gods – one who most often goes by the name _Kaze_ – felt that total isolation was unnecessary, and convinced the others to allow the portal to open four times each year. Once in January, once in April, once in July, and once in November. They argued for at least a year about it, until finally they all agreed. And on each day, here in the spirit world, one of the gods is celebrated. In January, on that day, the god _Daichi_ is celebrated. In April, the goddess _Mizu_ is celebrated. In July, the goddess _Himiko_, and in November, the god _Kaze_ is celebrated."

Amaya's head was spinning by the time Haku finished, and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "Okay…that's all interesting, but can you skip to the part on how my sister and I are going to get home?"

Haku sighed. "Since it is July now, with the day of Himiko already past, you and your sister will have to wait until November, on the day of Kaze, to return to your world."

Amaya blinked rapidly as he finished, and Kailani put an arm around her shoulders.

"I see. What about our parents? They–"

"I cannot alter time in your world, the power to do that is beyond me. But I can alter their minds so that they do not remember you or Ruki, and when you re-enter the human world their memory will return."

Amaya spoke quickly. "Is there a way to send them a letter?"

Haku pursed his lips, and Kailani touched his shoulder. "You could do it, couldn't you Haku?"

"I…am almost positive I could. The energy it would take though…"

"It's just one letter, and I wouldn't ask for anything more! Please…" Amaya pleaded, and after a moment of meeting the human's gaze Haku sighed, and nodded.

"Tomorrow, I will send your letter telling your parents of your situation. Is that agreeable?" Amaya nodded hurriedly, smiling gratefully. "I'm afraid Kailani will have to accompany you to the room…transporting people takes up a lot of my energy, and I have many things left to do before I retire."

"Okay. And Haku?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry that my sister and I have created so much trouble for you…and thank you for being so kind to us. I mean, you could've turned us into pigs like my mom's parents, but you didn't. And you tried your best to get my sister and I jobs that are together. So again…thank you." Amaya bowed for a moment, and then followed Kailani as the two exited through the sliding door that led to the stairs. Haku sighed, and Kamaji spoke once more.

"It's funny, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"You sent Sen away, thinking that that was the end of it all. And then, two of her daughters show up. Fate has a tight hold on Sen, such a tight hold that it even bleeds to her children."

"It is merely coincidence, Kamaji, and nothing more."

Kamaji cackled softly to himself as Haku began to walk away.

"My dear friend, if I have learned anything in my life, it is that there is no such thing as a coincidence, no such thing as luck or chance. Everything happens for a reason. The sun shines so that the plants can grow; the plants grow to provide food for others. Sen was sent here to help you find your name, and to find a piece of herself. You helped her daughters because you felt an obligation to their mother. Now that they are here, you just have to find the reason that they were brought here. Yes, they were brought here, Haku. No one enters this world without someone pulling the strings from being the curtain, just as no one in this bathhouse gets water unless I continue to grind these herbs."

Kamaji looked toward the door, only to find that Haku was already gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Here's the next chapter!

I hope you guys like it, and PLEASE REVIEW!

:D

**

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Chapter 6**

_Amaya was standing in the doorway to an unfamiliar house, staring into the hallway that led to other parts of the house – in the background she could hear the whistling of her father in a room she assumed to be the kitchen from the sounds of pots clinking together, and the sweet chirps of Sakura's bird in its cage near the window._

_Pictures hung on freshly imbedded nails along the wall, and they were all of the family in younger years: her mother holding Amaya when she was a baby, lifting her chubby hand to wave at the camera, Sakura and Ruki learning to swim in their father's arms, her mother patiently pinning and sewing Amaya's first kimono while Sakura stood and watched in curiosity._

_Amaya stepped into the house, and felt a strange flare of unease. She wasn't supposed to be here. This place…even with the pictures…was a strange and frightening place just beyond her reach; it wasn't a home in her eyes. It was just a hallway…filled with pictures that were almost trying to force her into remembering that feeling of warmth and security._

_Her long pale fingers reached out to touch a picture that hung just beside the door, one that showed all three sisters standing on a bridge and leaning over the side, all of them somehow not looking at the camera. It had been taken only a year or two ago, and Amaya had her chin in her hands, smiling slightly, staring down at the flowing water beneath them. Slightly behind her was Ruki, her brown hair tied back into a ponytail as usual and her cheeks flushed with excitement as she jabbered to Sakura, who was grinning with delight as she pointed to something just beyond the camera._

_Amaya smiled as she let her fingers drift downward, but something caught her eye. It was a wooden sign, and she leaned closer to read three bold words._

The Kohaku River

_Something strong and powerful flared in the air behind her, outside the house. It was a mysterious and dangerous pressure, and yet Amaya was not afraid. It was beckoning her, inviting her deeper into that dark desire of the unknown._

_It was that moment that her father chose to poke his head out the kitchen door, his hazel eyes bright and loving as he smiled at her._

_"Hey, Amaya! Dinner's in five, okay? Can you go outside and find Ruki? I think she went off exploring again…"_

_Amaya nodded, wondering numbly why her father couldn't feel the energy coming from outside, and turned to descend down the stairs._

_But then she was in front of that strange red building again, with the huge tunnel gaping before her._

_"Amaya! I wonder what's in here!" Ruki said from behind her, and Amaya leapt forward to grab her hand before the girl could go into the tunnel._

_"No, Ruki, remember what happened? We can't go in there, we'll be stuck in th–"_

_"Let her go." A voice spoke behind them, and Amaya turned to see Haku standing there, his emerald eyes cool and sparkling in the light of day, and Amaya felt a tugging on her heart as she stared at him._

_She was falling into darkness, and the water surrounded her, cradling around her with exquisite tenderness._

_The wind rushed past her as the creature she was riding on took her higher and higher into the clear night sky that was scattered with glittering stars._

_A brown haired figure was suspended in a web of ice, and there was a pale blue light pulsing around her. But there was also a sickly purple color slowly but surely creeping up the web of ice, seeping into the figure's skin._

_A scream filled the air, and–_

–Amaya opened her eyes to the empty covers of Ruki's unmade bed, full of shadows created by the early morning light of dawn. A small frown crossed her lips as she imagined Yubaba ordering her little sister out of bed before sunrise, as she had been doing for the past two months since they had arrived in the spirit world.

In the beginning, Ruki and Amaya had been together most of the time, but Yubaba had suddenly began needing Ruki all the time, and Amaya only got to see her when she returned to the tower late in the night, and by the time she got there she was so tired that she could only collapse in weary defeat and fall asleep immediately.

The sky was lightening slowly behind the teenage girl, and she sighed as she rolled onto her back, throwing an arm over her face. Her mind sluggishly mulled over the directions Haku had given her for that day: help the cooks make breakfast for the overnight customers, report to Lin for her bath duties, which would go until lunch at noon, until she was ordered to report to Haku in the afternoon to sort and organize financial files. Which was easy, because mathematics was her best subject in school.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Amaya finally decided to get up, and she stretched her back with a huge yawn, running her hands through her hair to get rid of any tangles that might have accumulated during the night.

She was dressed in a thin blue tank top with equally thin white shorts – the underclothes of her usual salmon pink uniform worn by all the bath and hygiene workers. She moved to her right, and unfolded the outer robe and pants that were placed there, and slipped into them quickly, tying the robe back with the darker pink sash, tying a small bow at the small of her back, and tucking her hair behind her ears before slipping out of the spacious room, quietly closing the sliding door behind her.

The wood was cool and worn smooth with use, and Amaya quickly ran down the hall, darting down the stairs that led to the main staircase, which was beginning to be filled with early rising customers and busy workers. The inner lights lit up the bright paintings on the wall, and the steam from the hot baths rose up to cloak around the stairs and the people walking up and down.

"I'm sorry – excuse me – oh, pardon me!" Amaya quickly apologized to the many people she bumped into on her way down to the kitchens, cringing at the cynical sniffs most of them gave her. Being human still lingered on most of their minds, no matter how hard she worked. How had her mother managed it all? And at only ten years old, too!

Amaya shook her head as she reached the bottom floor, only to be nearly strangled by Usagi – the head cook – whose webbed fingers grabbed her shoulder roughly.

"You're late!"

"How am I late! I got here at exactly–"

"Are you calling me a liar, Cheeky?" Usagi growled, and Amaya sighed as he pushed her into the kitchen. The frogs in the kitchen hadn't bothered to remember her name, instead calling her "Cheeky", because of her witty rebelliousness, and because it made them laugh. Amaya honestly couldn't see what was so funny about it, but it sure was better than being called "Brat" or "Useless Human". But not much better.

"Now why would I do that, Master Usagi?" Amaya muttered under her breath, and brushed past the frog to tie her hair back with a cloth head covering, and moved towards the large pots that were on the oven tops, water already steaming within them. Another frog was waiting for her, and pushed her towards a large cutting board.

A mountain of vegetables and fish loomed over her, casting her into shadow, and the frogs behind her snickered evilly at the girl's horrified expression.

Amaya scowled, and turned to Usagi, who was watching her with a smug smirk on his green-tinged face.

"All of them?" Amaya knew the answer, but she had to ask, in case there was a glimmer of a chance that she didn't have to cut all of–

"All of them, Cheeky. And make it quick, because our customers are getting hungry."

Amaya's shoulders slumped, and with a dejected sigh she pulled the nearest vegetable towards her.

* * *

Amaya coughed as a burst of spicy steam blew into her face from one of the soup pots, and blinked rapidly to clear her eyes as she leaned away from the mixture, keeping a hold on the ladle so she could stir.

"Hey, how much longer should I stir this?" The girl yelled over the deafening chatter of the kitchen workers, and a small waitress – Amaya assumed that she was a woodland spirit, seeing as she had the customary animalistic traits – whose head barely reached my navel hopped up onto the counter to peer into the metal container. Amaya noticed that her dark green fur – she looked like a docile housecat, only a smartly dressed housecat who spoke and walked on two legs – looked almost faded, as if she was growing out of it. But her high-pitched voice pulled the human out of her observations a moment later.

"Hm…I'd say it's about done. Good thing too, because I've got plenty of soup orders. Let me–"

But just then, a clump of her fur fell off and landed in the center of the bubbling soup, dark green and sickly looking against the rich yellow soup that was scattered with various vegetables and herbs. Amaya stared at it for a moment, only to see it disappear into one of the bubbles, gone from sight.

There was silence – save for the constant noise behind them from unaware cooks and assistants – as Amaya and the woodland spirit stared down at the soup. The spirit was slowly backing away, but Amaya's hand was faster, and she grabbed the spirit by the collar, bringing her close to her face. The spirit's ears were pinned against her skull in shame and in astonished fear at the waves of fury pulsing from of the girl's eyes.

"What. The. Hell?"

"I'm sorry, Cheeky!"

"Oh you're sorry? You're not the one who's going to get yelled at!"

Amaya groaned, and dropped the spirit with a sigh. The spirit patted her robe back into place, and Amaya leaned her face against her hands, mumbling from between her fingers.

"You're a woodland spirit, right?"

"Yes."

"Can't you like…stop the whole shedding process? Doesn't it get annoying? And what's more, why the heck are you wandering around in the kitchen when this is going on?"

"Well, if you'd let me explain–"

Amaya waved her off. "Ugh, whatever, I really have to get back to work. I'll just stir the fur in and hope that nothing else happens, because I really don't have time to make a whole other batch…"

Amaya stirred the mixture around quickly, hoping to disperse the small amount of hair throughout the soup so no one would notice. But a few moments later, the pale creamy mixture started to glow, and Amaya's eyes narrowed down at the spirit, who was cringing into her paws.

"Um, yeaaaaahh…my fur is magic, it's what all woodland spirits are made of, so letting it mix into the food probably wasn't the best idea…"

"Oh, thanks! Really great of you to mention that! Why did you let me stir it in then!" Amaya snarled, grabbing the spirit and shaking her furiously. The mixture was glowing a faint green, and after a moment the light subsided, and Amaya quickly released the spirit in order to rush and peer inside. The spirit jumped up to look in too, and the both of them stared at what used to be fish and vegetable soup.

"What the hell is it?" Amaya whispered, and the spirit shrugged.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"It's your fur, dammit!"

The pot was now filled with a delicate green mixture that resembled pudding, with small dark chips of something intermixed inside. Amaya reached in to poke it with a spoon. It was soft, but much thicker than the soup had been, leaving a dent where Amaya's spoon pressed down. It was also cold, which left the two frowning in confusion.

Amaya frowned, and murmured. "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that it looks like ice-cr–"

The spirit's cat ears swiveled around as the cooks began ordering for soup and other meals to be put into serving bowls and places. Amaya smirked, and reached in to scoop a large dollop out of the container and slapped it on a china plate, sliding it down the serving line to where servers were waiting to take the meals up to the guests.

"W-What are you doing?" The woodland spirit hissed, her orange slanted eyes widening in shock as Amaya began unloading the green mixture onto plates.

"I hardly get to have any fun around here, so waiting to see people's reactions when tasting this will be priceless! And the best part is that they can never find out it was me! Hundreds of cooks make the same soup every day!"

The spirit raised an eyebrow in wonder as the human danced manically around the kitchen, finally finished with unloading the green mixture and was now pouring the normal soup into bowls.

Those orange eyes watched her every move, and after she was done the spirit approached Amaya again.

"I'm terribly sorry about that…"

Amaya smirked, and leaned down to bump the spirit playfully on the shoulder. "It's cool. I was more shocked than anything, and who knows! Maybe the customers will like it and ask for more!"

"Let's hope not. Anyway, the real reason I was sent down here was to retrieve you. Lin reported to the Master that some of her workers are sick, and she needs some more help with the morning baths. Master immediately sent me down to take you to her."

"Oh, thank God!" Amaya threw her apron down and stepped on it a few times before throwing it at the nearest frog, where the stained fabric hit him full on in the face. "Take that! I'm done with this place! Sweet freedom!"

The girl took off out of the kitchen, cheering as she did so.

The small woodland spirit stood staring at her for a few moments, and she heard a familiar set of footsteps behind her. She turned to see Usagi picking up Amaya's apron from the ground and folding it over his arm with a small smile.

The spirit cleared her throat. "Sweet freedom, huh?"

"Yep. I don't think she realizes that she's coming back tomorrow, because she does that every time she leaves. Bah! Tell Haku to send down more supplies, eh, Sari?"

Sari nodded, smiling at the affectionate gruffness in the frog's voice, and quietly exited the kitchen, closing the door softly behind her. The frog went to hang up the apron, muttering under his breath the entire way.

Sari darted up the stairs, and perched herself on one of the railings that overlooked the baths, her tail waving behind her, and watched as Amaya chattered cheerfully to one of the younger servants, who looked surprised at the boldness of the human girl.

Humans were indeed strange creatures. But also so innocent and full of life...their time to brief and fleeting. That's what made them so memorable, their sense of justice, their trust, and their strength.

Sari remembered when that other little girl was here, the one with the large brown eyes and thick ponytail. That brave face, alight with youthful excitement and that assured voice that made the most devious spirit waver with uncertainty. Not Yubaba's little servant – Ruki, yes, that's it – that she kept around her nowadays, but the one from before.

What was that name that Haku mentioned?

Oh yes…it was Chihiro.

Yubaba's current servant sent chills down the woodland spirit's spine, though she couldn't quite understand why. Maybe it was the realization that that girl – even though she looked like her – was not Chihiro, and never would be. Maybe it was the slow stirrings of darkness moving like a poison through her eyes and through her very soul.

Orange eyes flickered in the firelight as they watched Amaya head to one of the baths alongside Lin, her hair tied back and her face alight with laughter at the foreman's sour expression.

Ruki was not the same as Chihiro had been.

Amaya was not the same either, and in ways was even more different from Chihiro than Ruki was.

But Amaya was also six years older than Chihiro had been when she arrived here…maybe the spirits were getting a glimpse into what Chihiro could've grown into if she had been able to stay.

Maybe…maybe.

Sari watched for a moment longer, and then disappeared into the steamy air, leaving nothing but the smell of freshly picked mint behind her.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, there was a deafening sound of several dozen customers gagging and retching, and the sound of soft mush hitting the wall with a splatter, which was followed by the sounds of yells and even someone crying on the lower floor.

And if you listened very closely, you could hear the hysterical giggles of a certain human on the very top floor, who was currently slapping high-fives with her younger sister. The teenager and the young girl both were grinning, even though the later had no idea what they were celebrating about.


	7. Chapter 7

Hey! Sorry its been so long, have had a BUTT-LOAD of homework; Junior year of high school SUCKS!

But anyhoo, hope you all enjoy this chapter! It's really short...sorry...

Nothing really exciting happens, but we DO get to see how her parents react to their disappearance (reviewers have been asking about it, so I decided to add it in).

I've been pretty down lately (not so nice reviews on my naruto stories, man do flames make me angry!) so I'd really appreciate it if you guys could review!

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_

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Chapter 7  
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Amaya gritted her teeth as she steadied herself against the side of the large tub, and attacked the large sludge with a vengeance, ignoring the flecks of mud that flew into her hair and onto the exposed skin of her forehead as she scrubbed with the heavy brush – she wore a cloth mouth covering so she wouldn't breathe in the disgusting vapors that were steaming from the filthy tub. Her hair was tied back loosely, but her hair so short that the ribbon was practically useless, and hung loosely around her face. Her feet were submerged in the muck, nearly up to her calves, and she grimaced at the squishy sounds that sounded when she tried to lift her feet.

"Gross…" Amaya grumbled, and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes before heaving herself out of the tub. Her hands slipped on the smooth ceramic surface, and she almost fell backwards into the sludge, only just managing to cling to the slightly raised edge with her fingertips. She let out a sigh of exhaustion as she pulled herself out, and tried to stand up. The mud was slick, however, and Amaya found herself slipping backwards.

Her yell was cut off as she fell into the sludge, the thick viscous matter sucking her up as easily as water does a stray pebble falling into its depths. It was cool and strangely soft against her skin, but then she remembered how awful it smelled and immediately began to push herself up. Who knows what the stuff was made of…or how long it had been sitting idly in the filthy tub.

Amaya broke the surface with a gasp, and looked up at the brightly lit ceiling, angrily wiping mud away from her face as she did so, her eyes pricking with frustrated tears.

It was hard to imagine that she had been here for two months already. Two long months.

Every day that passed by was a blur, filled with the energy permeated by all of the spirits, filled with thoughts of wonder at how her mother had managed the work at such a young age. Sure, Amaya was older than her mother had been, but even for Amaya the work was a strain. The days were filled with trying to avoid the wrath of Lin – the woman had been cool towards Amaya since her first day working in the baths, after Amaya had somehow set off the fire alarm and drenched everyone in the main hall with ice cold water – and sneaking moments to steal down to Kamaji's boiler room in order to chat with the old and kindly spirit with whom she had established a comfortable kinship. He never said much, just listened patiently as she chattered about her life back home, sometimes interjecting with a comment or question.

Kailani was also an unexpected friend in the spirit world, spending, at the most, four days of each week at the bathhouse before returning to tend Haku's river. Amaya soon lost her initial sense of awe at the age and power of the water nymph, and the two spent many hours chatting and giggling in Haku's office – when Amaya was organizing financial files or doing other mindless busy work – as they exchanged stories and secrets. Kailani's stories usually involved some scandal that included a male – either human or spirit – that wandered too close to the river, and by the end of them Amaya was blushing madly, but grinning nonetheless. She had never had an older sister, and Kailani was beginning to feel like one to Amaya, the unconscious barrier that separated them as nymph and human rapidly evaporating.

But…

The real world plagued Amaya's thoughts, and small things would bring the memories back in a rush. Like the sight of a brown haired worker hanging clothes on a line to dry…it reminded Amaya of her mother in the summer, washing and singing to herself. The smell of cooking fish brought back memories of her father's wonderful cooking, the good-natured tilt to his voice as he poked her playfully in the ribs, the comforting assurance he held in his hands and in his eyes.

And what Amaya hated most was that she hadn't noticed the time passing by. She was growing comfortable here; in this crazy world of dragons and cranky spirits…it was a place of comfort.

Amaya was scared of the feeling. She wanted to go home, she wanted to be somewhere where everything made sense, not in this weird state of limbo where she half belonged, half didn't belong.

But since that was a month away, Amaya pushed that thought aside and focused on something more centered in the present.

She wanted her sister back.

Not the sister that was slowly growing away from her, not the sister that had a constant weariness to her eyes, as if her will was slowly being worn down and her soul being crushed. Not the sister whose eyes sometimes flashed at Amaya in cold irritation that was far too mature for someone her age.

Amaya wanted Ruki.

The girl looked up at the sound of a familiar giggle, and her face split in a joyous smile that was so wide it hurt her face.

Ruki was standing beside the tub; hand on her hip and a smirk on her lips as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Her eyes were clear and happy today, and Amaya grinned as she sat up.

"Ruki! Are you working with me today?"

Ruki nodded, and, after a second's hesitation, grinned. She backed up a few steps, and jumped into the tub to join Amaya. Mud splattered everywhere, and when the two surfaced they laughed and hugged each other.

"Yeah, Haku made Yubaba give me the day off. He told me where you were, and so I decided to spend it with you."

Amaya sighed, wiping the sludge from Ruki's face, studying her sister's visage carefully, frowning at the frail thinness to her frame and to her cheeks, once rosy, that were now ashen and tired looking.

"What is that witch _doing_ to you, Ruki? Why are you always so tired?" Ruki bit her lip, shaking her head slightly, and Amaya growled in frustration. "And why can't you _tell_ me anything?"

"She's not that bad, Amaya. She just…has a lot of work for me to do. She hasn't done anything to me; she hasn't been nasty at all. Its just…sometimes…I feel…"

Amaya knelt down to look at her sister at eye level. "What, Ruki? You can tell me anything, you know."

Ruki smiled sadly, her eyes strangely hooded as she nodded. "I know, Maya. I know."

Amaya smiled, and patted Ruki's head before helping the younger girl out of the tub, and then climbing out herself. The older girl laughed at the sludge that coated their bodies, and both cringed at the sound of a piercing and deafening yell that could strike fear even into the hearts of the most powerful spirits.

"What in the gods' names have you two been _doing_?"

Lin was standing in the entrance to the bathing area, and her brown eyes snapped and sparked at the two guilty sisters, who were currently staring at the floor to avoid her rage. The foreman – or would it be forewoman? – marched over, and took both girls by the ear and dragged them out of the area and into the adjoining one, where a salty bath was already prepared. The maids nearby saw Ruki and Amaya with gasps of horror, and they all laughed as Lin pushed the two forward so they landed face first into the deep bath.

The warm salt in the water made Amaya's skin tingle, and when she came sputtering up to the surface she found that it had washed all of the mud away, leaving her soaking wet but miraculously clean. Ruki was examining her skin with an awed expression, and Lin's lips curved into a small smirk at the sight of the little girl smiling in wonder.

Lin had become very attached to Ruki over the past few months, and after some consideration Amaya was able to understand why.

It was because whenever Lin looked at Ruki, her mind registered that familiar face with the face of a girl who had come into this world only once before, but had touched the hearts of so many along the way. Ruki reminded Lin of Amaya's mother, Chihiro, and Amaya didn't blame her; the two looked exactly alike.

Lin grabbed a wash cloth and began washing some invisible mud off of Ruki's face, ignoring her indignant squeaks and complaints as she gently rubbed the girl's face and neck with the soft cloth. Amaya's throat tightened at the tender expression on the spirit's face, and her mind immediately went back to the image of her mother.

Haku had kept his promise in sending the letter, but the ways of magic were still a mystery to Amaya, and as a result she was still slightly suspicious of it.

The girl's chest ached as she looked at her hands, the perfectly clean hands that were almost glowing.

_Oh Mom, Dad...Sakura. I miss you guys so much. Please…don't give up on us!_

* * *

Two Months Earlier

* * *

Chihiro Scott paced the floor of their new home, the empty room that was as lonely and shadowy as her heart as she wrung her hands frantically, her eyes flashing to her husband as he curtly spoke to the police on the cell phone – the electricity hadn't been turned on yet. Sakura was asleep, thank God. Chihiro didn't know how to begin telling the young girl that her two older sisters might be gone for good. Without a trace…without signs of a struggle.

Which means they either had gone willingly or had been silenced too quickly for sound to reach Everett, who was waiting not two minutes away by the car.

The thought of someone laying a hand on her girls made Chihiro's blood boil, but fear overwhelmed her anger as she impatiently sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Were they safe, were they afraid?

Were they…dead?

No! Chihiro shook her head furiously. She wouldn't allow herself to think of it…she wouldn't let the thought stray into her head again. It was foolish to burn the flame of maternal panic even hotter, and the woman forced herself to take a deep breath.

Everett finally hung up the phone, and the man slowly came into the living room, his face pale and strained.

Chihiro didn't have to ask, for his face said it all. The police had found nothing. Just as the two parents had found nothing when they searched the woods, two days ago. Their girls were gone…and although the police would do everything in their power to find them, the hope was slim.

The mother's face crumpled as she let out a sob of anguish, and she felt Everett sit down beside her, locking an arm securely around her shoulders as he struggled to control his own raging fear and concern for his daughters.

"What are we going to do, Everett?" Chihiro sobbed, and Everett shook his head.

"I…I don't know…"

Chihiro was about to speak when there was a flash of green light in the small room, and Everett yelled as he flung himself over his wife in an attempt to protect her from this strange new entity. Chihiro waited for it all to fade, clutching to Everett desperately, cracking open an eye when all was quiet.

The room was as dark and empty as before, the only new thing being a small envelope that lay on the floor beside the parents' feet, a simple, cream colored envelope that made Chihiro move forward in disbelief. Everett was blinking rapidly, his golden hazel eyes confused as his wife hesitantly picked up the letter.

Chihiro recognized her eldest daughter's handwriting in the center of the envelope, and almost cut herself in her rush to open the letter. The paper ripped easily in her hands, and with shaking hands Chihiro read the letter silently, tears streaming down her cheeks.

_Mom and Dad,_

_Don't worry; Ruki and I are safe and are being very well cared for here. I don't know where exactly here is, but I think it's most accurately referred to as "the spirit world". Mom…I know that you've been here before, Haku told me that you came here as a girl. Please tell me that you remember…the boiler room, the old greedy witch with the absolutely enormous head, the boy who you saved by helping him remember his name?_

_The portal to this world only opens once in each of the months of July, November, January, and April. Don't know why, but Kamaji said something about the Gods sealing it after you appeared in this world, something about necessary precautions. We entered in July, and so there's nothing we can do but wait here until the day the portal opens in November. I'm so sorry that I got Ruki and I into this; it was me who wanted to explore the tunnel, it's my fault we're in this mess._

_I don't know the exact day in November that we can leave, but just know that we'll be coming home safe and sound when that day comes. Just wait for us, wait, and don't worry too much._

_Love, from both of us,_

_Amaya and Ruki_

The woman let the letter fall to the ground slowly, and Everett snatched it up, his eyes widening as he read the first few lines.

Chihiro was having trouble thinking clearly. The spirit world…how in the world had Amaya and Ruki followed in her footsteps? She had never imagined…she had never _dreamed_…

Everett's eyebrows were furrowing in confusion, and Chihiro felt the anxiety slipping away at the thought of Kamaji and Haku.

If they were truly in the spirit world…than Chihiro knew that they were safe. As long as Haku was around…her babies would be safe and sound. He wouldn't let anything happen to them, just as he hadn't let anything happen to her.

She trusted him, even after all this time.

Her husband's eyes were skeptical as the rose from the letter, and Chihiro smiled as she settled next to her husband, patting his arm comfortingly.

"It's alright, Everett. The girls are all right. I promise."

"What is this crap? Spirit world…Haku? What's going on?"

"Calm down, dear, and let me explain. It all began when I was ten years old, and my dad got lost on the trail that led up to my grandparents' house…"

* * *

**Please review! Thanks, and I hoped you guys liked it!**


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